Masita Hogan Cup final: St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Brendan’s, Killarney (Saturday, Croke Park, 3pm)
Which is the better path to your biggest game of the year - winning all the games with ease or having to dig deep to rescue a game that looks like slipping away?
That, essentially, is the key question as St Patrick’s, Maghera take on St Brendan’s, Killarney in the Masita Hogan Cup final on Saturday afternoon. St Brendan’s have conceded very few scores (25 points) in their four-game run to the colleges’ showpiece final of the season. And they have run up some impressive totals, like 5-21 in the final of Corn Uí Mhuirí and 4-15 in the Hogan semi-final in dismissing St Benildus College from Dublin.
Maghera had five games in their run to the final and the only one they won with any sort of comfort was the MacRory decider on St Patrick’s Day - and even then, the last minute penalty goal from Conall Darragh put the gloss on a 5-7 to 1-9 win.
A penalty of a different nature was needed in Enniskillen six days later when they trailed Summerhill from Sligo by three points nearing injury-time. This time, the calm head of Francis Kearney slotted the pressure kick home, while Shane McGuigan pointed an injury-time free to take them through to Croke Park.
Those last few minutes showed the Maghera spirit and character like never before. But earlier in the match, they looked in total command - then lost it and were struggling until McGuigan and Kearney got things back on track.
McGuigan has been the outstanding player for Maghera. He can win his own ball, take quality scores or create good openings for those around him. In the absence of Conor Glass for the Hogan semi-final, he had to take on more responsibility and 1-5 from play as well as three more points from frees showed he was well capable of doing that.
Also missing in Enniskillen was corner-back Keelan Feeny, arguably their best defender to date. He had been sick in the days coming up to the game, but it would appear that he will start in Croke Park.
Glass may not. There is speculation the Australia-bound Glen midfielder is carrying a shoulder injury, but management assured reporters after the semi-final that he too had been sick on the journey to Enniskillen. They won the semi-final without him, although his arrival a couple of minutes from the end really lifted the Maghera support and possibly contributed to the late revival in their challenge.
Against a St Brendan’s team who have been playing so well this year, his presence, his experience of having played in two previous Hogan deciders and his all-round ability would definitely be critical to Maghera’s bid for a sixth title.
Although Killarney have taken 21 Munster titles, they have only landed two Hogans, in 1969 and again in 1992. Their inside-forward line of Evan Cronin, David Shaw and Michael Casey looks particularly dangerous, scoring 4-4 between them in the semi-final. Indeed, St Brendan’s had 3-7 on the board before the Leinster champions opened their account in the 27th minute.
Maghera have not exactly been water-tight at the back this year. They have kept on winning, but were still vulnerable at the back and this is an area they will need to improve in Croke Park.
No one has yet put it up to the Killarney outfit. So we don’t know how good they can be under pressure. If McGuigan gets any kind of supply, he will certainly test them but, as it stands, it is very difficult to argue that St Brendan’s shouldn’t start favourites for a third title.
It won’t matter they flopped against Maghera 20 years ago in Portlaoise. Nor will it matter that Maghera have lost the only two times they have met Kerry opposition in a final, nor that one team is in search of a sixth title and the other a third.
What will matter is whether either or both teams can deliver their best game on the big stage.
